Asheville, NC and the Blue Ridge Mountain area is alive with tourist attractions, outdoor activities, fun things to do, unique events and a wide variety of culinary treats. You won’t be bored or hungry when you stay at Wildberry Lodge!
Welcome to the Asheville Area!
Where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Great Smoky Mountains
Maybe you already know this, but Asheville was BEER CITY USA – four years in a row! We have more than thirty microbreweries and dozens of places to taste all of the brews along with great food.
A few places to eat near the lodge are:
Shorties BBQ (take out only) – but you can bring it back and dine with a view on our deck. Located on the corner of Newfound Road and New Leicester Hwy (Hwy 63). 7.5 mi
Papa’s Pizza – New Leicester Hwy 8.5 mi
Asheville Brew hangouts:
Jack of the Wood, located at 95 Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville: Sundays are always Irish Jam session and Thursdays are Bluegrass Jam session. They have a house band and specially invited guest bands on the weekends and some weekday nights. We recommend the Greenman ESB!
Thirsty Monk, located in the purple building at the corner of Patton Avenue and Coxe (across the street from Jack of the Wood): this pub specializes in Belgium and Belgium-style beers (yummy).
Asheville Brewing Company, with two locations: 77 Coxe Avenue and 675 Merrimon Avenue (north of Asheville). The pizza is fabulous and the beer, of course, is great! The Merrimon Avenue location has an unusual combination of pub and movies.
There are many, many more to choose from, but these will get you started.
Activities Near Wildberry Lodge
There is a variety of fun activities that you can find near Wildberry Lodge:
- Antique shopping
- Casino
- Concert venues
- Local Farm Tours/Visits
- For the Music in Me
- For the Foodie in you
- Gourmet/Fine dining
- Casual dining
- Breweries
- Cidery’s
- Spirits
- Historical interests
- Museums
- National/State parks
- Art Galleries
- Cherokee Indian Reservation
- Biltmore Estate
- Performing theater
- Vineyards/Winery’s
- The great Outdoors
- Canoeing
- Hiking trails
- Horseback riding
- Kayaking
- Tubing/ rafting
- Bird Watching
- ski/tubing slopes
For a free travel guide and more information, click here.
Hiking Options
We have 5 miles of hiking trails on our 44-acre property. Take a walk just outside your door and enjoy the morning as the world wakes up. You can also check out the hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway or check out part of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Hot Springs.
Read More...In 2019 we partnered with Long Cane Trails to design and develop our own hiking trails in response to many of our guests asking to hike on the property. 7 individual trails were mapped out across the 44 acres and 4 of these trails were completed in 2019. These trails range from .75 miles to 1.5 miles and can be completed individually or linked together for a longer more strenuous hike. Maps are available and trails are marked for easy navigation.
The Blue Ridge Parkway also has many trails available, some with waterfalls and beautiful scenery. We provide a list of trails located off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville that you may take with you on your adventures.
The Appalachian Trail (AT) meets civilization in Hot Springs, NC and you can walk a portion of it! Hot Springs is approx. 40 minutes from the lodge up HWY 63 to 209 and is a quaint town where AT hikers can take a break from their rustic camping.
The Biltmore Estate and Asheville Arts Scene
There are many things to do in Asheville
Read More...Downtown Asheville provides an abundance of things to do with 30 minutes of Wildberry Lodge so you can come and go easily. The main attraction is the Biltmore Estate. Check out our specials for this attraction as they change seasonally. The River Arts district has over 100 artists displaying their craft including Olga Dorenko (you can see a sampling of her paintings at Wildberry Lodge). The Southern Highland Craft Guild displays regional crafts for sale and also has demonstrations on select days. Our favorites there include Doc Welty and Susan Grier – potters and Friendswood Brooms’ 4th generation broom maker, Marlow Gates.
Action packed activities
The Asheville area has many outdoor activities right at your doorstep
Read More...Looking for more excitement. Check out some of the action at the Smoky Mountain Adventure or the Asheville Outdoor Center. Keep in mind that some activities are seasonal. There are many more activities such as zip lining, climbing, river floats, etc. Give us a call if you are looking for more information, and we will be happy to help.
Our Mountains: Where the Blue Ridge meets the Smokies
Day trips
Read More...We have some recommended day trips to help you plan your visit, including driving along the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway or visiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The entrance to the park is just an hour from Wildberry Lodge, and you can easily spend the entire day enjoying the beauty of the vistas and wildlife in the park. Chimney Rock Park is a North Carolina state park and is a 45-minute drive from Wildberry Lodge. It was curated by the Morse family for 4 generations before becoming a state park a few years ago. You can climb the 200+ steps to the top or take the elevator and spend your time enjoying the view and trails. Ticket prices are reasonable and never expire. When you are finished have a little BBQ on the river in the small town of Chimney Rock.
My "Foodie" side
There are many options for the culinary enthusiast. From food trucks to James Beard award winning chefs – we have it all.
A few places to eat near Wildberry Lodge are:
Shorties BBQ (take out only) – but you can bring it back and dine with a view on our deck. Located on the corner of Newfound Road and New Leicester Hwy (Hwy 63). 7.5 mi Family owned business
Papa’s Pizza – 429 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville, NC · (828) 285-8700 8.5 mi
Greek and Italian – Family owned business
Grateful Roots Market and Deli: 3393 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester, NC 28748 828-515-5118 Family Owned business,
Our Newest Addition: Sovereign Remedies Exchange 2645 New Leicester Hwy.
SRX Opened March 1 2023. Hours will be 2-9 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday through April 1st. Then, the regular hours will go into effect from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Food truck with Pub fare, wine and beer by the glass, and coffee & bakery items. YAY!
The business is an extension of Sovereign Remedies, a restaurant and craft cocktail bar at 29 N. Market St. in downtown. Owner Charlie Hodge said he’s “giving it a bit of Sovereign love” and introducing a new concept that’s family-friendly and open to all ages. SRX will operate primarily as a coffee shop, wine and beer bar and bottle shop with regular food truck operations. – Asheville Citizens Times
